The Marauders: Year Five #Wattys2017

Drowning

Drowning

They apparated onto the path outside the gates of Hogwarts, in a clearing of trees, from which they could see the castle far off over the grounds. James lost his balance, even with four legs instead of two, and toppled to the ground in the path, McGonagall only just managing to scoop Lucy Minchum off his back before he tipped. She stared down at the stag as she put the girl down to the path. "Expecto Patronum," she announced and waved her wand and a tabby cat spurted out, frolicking about them, flicking it's tail and looking up to the sky. Somewhere above them were Dementors.

McGonagall cleared her throat, "Mr. Potter, please resume your regular shape."

James turned back, the antlers melting away and the fur shooting back into his skin, his nose returning to it's normal shape and his eyes sliding back across his face to rest where they belonged. He stared up at Professor McGonagall with a very guilty expression indeed. "I can explain," he started.

She shook her head, "Not now. Not here. You keep your mouth shut about it until I've asked you otherwise. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Professor," he said, though he wasn't positive that he did.

McGonagall turned to the gates and cast a very long, very complex sounding spell, which set the locks to turning and the gates to opening. "Carry Miss. Minchum, please, Mr. Potter, she needn't be making this long trek after all she's been through."

"Yes m'am." He turned to Lucy and crouched down, motioning for her to resume her place on his back and she ran over and jumped on, quite eager to be near to James, who was easily her most favorite person in all of the world by now, and she wrapped her arms about his neck tightly, pressing her cheek against him and hugged herself to him. Professor McGonagall waved her wand and a sort of blanket burst from it, putting off warm air and she bundled the pair of them up in it and James held it shut about his chest.

Without a word, McGonagall led them up the long sloping path to the castle.

Regulus was back in the hall outside the hospital wing, pacing, trying to get up the nerve to go in when Kreacher appeared. "Kreacher has done all that he could, Master!" he cried, clutching Regulus's feet the moment he appeared. He pressed his great elf ears to the floor and his face against Regulus's ankles, "Master must forgive Kreacher, Kreacher has done all that he could doooo to follow Master's orders! But Mistress commanded Kreacher out of the room and the Dark Lord took the girl!"

"What?" Regulus looked quite panicked, "The Dark Lord took her? Where?" He worried profusely for Lucy Minchum suddenly and he knelt to pull Kreacher up, even as he lay weeping, and held his shoulders to make him look his master in the eyes. "Where has the Dark Lord taken Lucy Minchum, Kreacher? I command you to tell me."

Kreacher snorted loudly as he tried to regain his composure. "It isn't Lucy Minchum which the Dark Lord has taken from Number 12, Master, it's the girl! The girl Master has sent with Kreacher and the Potter boy to rescue the little brat! Master Regulus's friend! It is her that the Dark Lord is taking!"

Regulus froze, staring at Kreacher with searching eyes. The words Kreacher said were hard processing, his brain not quite following their meaning. "Maryrose?" Regulus's voice shook. "He - he's taken Maryrose?"

"Yesss," wheezed Kreacher, "Yes! The Potter boy took the Minchum Brat into the street after hexing Mr. Lestrange, the terrible boy he is, and he's run away and the Dark Lord is being thinking that Master's friend Maryrose was the Minchum girl because of a disguise she wore and the real Minchum girl is escaped! But the Dark Lord knows all and the Dark Lord knew it was not the real Minchum brat he had and he searched the mind of Master's friend and he's taken - taken her away - and the Potter boy told Kreacher to save her, like you ordered for me to do to help them anyway they said by your order, and Master Regulus's orders have not been followed because the Dark Lord is... is taking away... the girl... before Kreacher could... could save her!" he wailed.